Mrs. Ruthie Veasey Carpenter, 94, formerly of Pittsboro, died June 28 at Chapel Hill Health & Rehab.

Mrs. Carpenter was born in Granville County on August 28, 1914, a daughter of Oren Judson Veasey and Susie Anna Weaver Veasey.

She was retired from UNC, where she worked as a nursing assistant at the campus infirmary. She was a longtime active member of Mt. Gilead Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday School for youth classes as well as Bible School. She proudly accepted the Mother's Day floral tribute for most children of a congregant.

Mrs. Carpenter was a member and secretary of the Silver Angels Sunday School class.

She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Jean and Auburn Tripp and Gayle and Frank Green of Pittsboro, Bonnie and Troy Powell of Fuquay-Varina, and Patricia and Larry Taylor of Cary; step-daughters, Mona Firmage of Sanford and Jane Thomas of Oklahoma; step-son, Carey Carpenter of Garner; brother, Grady Veasey of Durham; sisters, Pearl Roberts of Bahama and Sue Stewart of Durham; nine grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and a number of step-grandchildren.

Mrs. Carpenter was preceded in death by her first husband, Eddie Matthew Carpenter; her second husband, Harvey Newton Carpenter; two sons, Billy Wes Carpenter and Colen Kenneth Carpenter; a granddaughter, Billie Lane Hurt; and two step-children, Marie Pilkington and Newton Carpenter.

The funeral service for Mrs. Carpenter will be held today at 11 a.m. at Mt. Gilead Baptist Church, with the Rev. Dan Robinson presiding.

Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Mt. Gilead Baptist Church, 1785 Mt. Gilead Church Road, Pittsboro, NC 27312.

Online condolences may be sent to www.hallwynne.com.

Arrangements are by Hall-Wynne Funeral Service in Pittsboro.

Myrtle Elizabeth Davis Dawson

Myrtle Elizabeth Davis Dawson, 98, a longtime resident of Chapel Hill and the Antioch Church community, died at her home on June 23. She was the oldest daughter of the late Abram Wade Davis and Rachel Maxwell Davis.

Myrtle was one of seven children who grew up on the family farm that bordered the Cape Fear River in Bladen County. When she was 16 years old, her mother, along with her children, temporarily moved to Chapel Hill so they could be near Myrtle's only brother while he attended the University of North Carolina. When the family returned to the farm, Myrtle remained behind and eventually married Eugene Wesley Dawson, who died in 1986.

Together, they ran the family real estate business, while she became known as an excellent cook and accomplished seamstress.

A faithful member of Antioch Baptist Church, she served in many capacities. From 1955 to 1990, she was a member of the Extension Homemakers Club and served as their president for for years as well as County President for two years.

She is survived by her daughter, Sheila Dawson Sturdivant and husband, Jimmy of Chatham County; her son, Ronald Eugene Dawson and wife, Gloria of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; four grandchildren, Michael Wesley Sturdivant and wife, Margaret of Chatham County, Kimberly Sturdivant McCown and husband, Thomas of Chapel Hill, John Wesley Dawson and wife, Kimberly of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and Jason Eugene Dawson of West Palm Beach, Fla.; four great grandchildren, Wesley and Laura Beth Sturdivant, Rachel McCown, and Justin Dawson. She is also survived by the youngest sister, Jewel Kozak of Tampa, Fla., and a number of nieces and nephews. She would also want us to mention "Flucie," her cat and close companion for the past 10 years.

She held the honor of being the oldest member at Antioch Baptist Church, where her funeral service was held June 27. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Those considering memorial contributions may make them to Antioch Baptist Church Building Fund, 1707 White Cross Road, Chapel Hill 27516 or to the charity of your choice.

The family extends its appreciation to her caregivers, Mildred Perry and Clara McLeod.

Thomas William Downing Jr.

Thomas William Downing Jr. died June 25 at Brookridge Retirement Community after a long illness.

Born in Front Royal, Va., September 6, 1932, he was the son of the late Thomas William Downing Sr. and Pauline Gore Downing. A graduate of the University of Richmond, Va., and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky., he took extended post graduate study at New College, Edinburgh, Scotland. His pastorates included Sycamore Baptist Church in Franklin, Va., Warsaw Baptist Church in Warsaw, Va., and University Baptist Church in Chapel Hill. Parkinson's forced his early retirement in 1989.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Sue Perry Downing, a resident of Brookridge; and by a nephew and two nieces.

A memorial services was conducted June 27, 2009 at Knollwood Baptist Church in Winston-Salem. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Brookridge Retirement Community.

Flonnie Mae Clark Sparrow

Mrs. Flonnie Mae Clark Sparrow, 91, of Durham, died June 28 at UNC Hospitals.

Mrs. Sparrow was a native of Chatham County and was the daughter of the late A. D. and Martha Lou Neal Clark. She was the widow of Howard Martin Sparrow.

Mrs. Sparrow was predeceased by a son, Barry Van Sparrow, and by four brothers and a sister.

She was a member of Ephesus Baptist Church. She worked at Woollen Mills in Carrboro and at Eubanks Drugstore on Franklin Street and was retired from the Office of Records and Registration at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Mrs. Sparrow is survived by a daughter, Molly S. Simmons, and husband Bucky of Chapel Hill; three granddaughters, Martha Chase (Rahn), Mitzi Render (Clif), and Jamie Howell (Preston); six great-grandchildren, Claire, Sarah, and Jennie Chase, Asa Render, and Preston and Bethany Howell.

Funeral services will be held today at 11 a.m. at Ephesus Baptist Church with Dr. Harry Byrd officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Ephesus Baptist Church, 2025 Ephesus Church Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, or to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 120 Wall St. 19th Floor, New York, NY 10005.

Online condolences may be sent to www.walkersfuneralservice.com.

Arrangements are with Walker's Funeral Home in Chapel Hill.

Mary Stone

Mary Stone, 70, died June 25 at her home in Chapel Hill.

Many wonderful moments will be cherished by her husband, Rudolph Stone; daughter, Cheryl Cureton of Durham; and son, David Burnette of Chapel Hill. Other survivors include: three brothers, Rufus Burnette and wife Marion of Chapel Hill, Billard Burnette and wife Peggy of Mebane, and Adrian Burnette of Chapel Hill; two sisters, Evelyn French of Fayetteville and Cedonia Edwards of Chapel Hill; five granchildren and three great grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Tuesday.

Arrangements are by Jones Funeral home in Chapel Hill.

Please send obituary notices and photographs to sfarmer@nando.com. Obituaries are limited to 300 words